


Other Relationships

by Dr_Psyche



Series: Lustrous [5]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Abuse, Dubious Consent, F/F, Gen, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-31
Updated: 2020-09-23
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:12:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24463993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dr_Psyche/pseuds/Dr_Psyche
Summary: A cruel Amethyst and the Peridots she courted and hurt.
Series: Lustrous [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/821943
Comments: 7
Kudos: 10





	1. Fixing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This scene is set before the events of the Lustrous series.

“Power Coupling 5 should be swapped out,” 5XG said, examining her holoscreen.

“Coupling 5 is fine,” 5XB replied, examining her screen. “Power flow is within acceptability and there are no signs of wear.”

“It’s out of date though,” 5XG said, looking up.

“I mean it’s not the cutting edge,” 5XB replied, glancing at her. “But it’s still from the current generation. It’s not going to be obsolete for at least a century and a half.”

“Yeah that’s it though, it’s _not_ cutting edge,” 5XG said. “Emerald wants everything to be the latest in ship tech. She wants this whole ship to be at the forefront of what the empire’s capable of.”

“Feels excessive,” 5XB said, closing her holoscreen and looking up at the spacecraft.

Before them was the Sun Incinerator, one of the sleekest and most advanced ships in the fleet; Emerald’s personal craft. Emerald had docked her craft in hanger 3 of The Praying Hands and requested a thorough examination and repair. The Praying Hands was Emerald’s flagship, a massive battleship built at the Vortian shipyards; it combined two Hand-class battleships, their fingers clasped in prayer.

“This is Emerald,” 5XG said. “Excessive is the minimum for her.”

“Fair point,” 5XB said.

“Hey guys, I replaced the ship’s Flask Robonoids.”

The two Peridots turned to look at their companion. 5XZ was walking along the underside of the wing, the magnetic grip of her leg limb-enhancers allowing her to walk upside down.

“Replaced them with the Type-C Flask Robonoids,” 5XZ continued. “10% increase in healing salve capacity, half a second increase in reaction time.”

“She better thank us,” 5XB said.

“Our thanks is not being sent to the grinding wheel,” 5XG responded.

“That’s lame,” 5XZ said, letting her arms hang down (or up rather). “We can get ourselves not ground to dust any day.”

“It looks good on our record,” 5XG said. “A good job on a high-ranking Gem’s personal project is always a plus.”

“Yeah,” 5XB replied. “The work I did on Demantoid’s Solar Ray III was a real boost. I was able to score an assignment at the Energon vats on Caminus with that on my resume.”

“Lucky!” 5XZ replied, giving a mock frown. “I’d love to go to Caminus. So much great architecture! The Blue Court went all out on the aesthetic. Plus the old Camien civilization’s cool too. Did you know their capital city used to be alive? It could become a massive robot that would dwarf the Diamond’s combined ship!”

“I’ll send you some pictures,” 5XB replied.

“EEEE,” 5XZ squee’d. “I’d love that! Oh, catch me!”

She hopped off the wing into 5XB’s arms. 5XB catching her… and then dropping her on her rear.

“Aw, weak!” 5XZ grumbled, rubbing her butt.

5XG rolled her eyes at their antics and pulled up her holoscreen.

“I’m going to send Emerald the options for laser cannons if she wants to change the ones on the Sun Incinerator,” she said. “As is there isn’t a completely superior upgrade to the weapons loadout but in case she wants to try a laser with a bigger blast but smaller rate of fire or one with a smaller blast but larger rate of fire; she can choose for herself.”

“Let’s check the engines next,” 5XZ said, standing up. “They have to be some of the best in the empire! I’d love to get a look under the hood.”

5XZ took off, excitedly, the other two Peridots following behind her.


	2. Wren

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 5XZ and 8XA relax between shifts.

**Wren**

Planet Wren was the 7th planet in the Sull Solar System. It had been chosen as the location of Yellow Diamond’s next colony and had begun a terraforming process. Three successful Kindergartens had produced a powerful crop of soldiers. Much of the planet was mapped out with holopads and two Galaxy Warps adorned the planet’s poles. Wren was a safe location located in Gem controlled space; far away from any Alternian Outpost or Galra Remnant. 

5XZ had accepted an assignment and was now positioned at the latest Kindergarten. Her job was an uncommon one; the administration had ordered in a dozen injectors from a previous Colony and sought to reuse them for Wren. 5XZ and a few other Peridots were assigned to retrofit the Injectors; stripping out the old hardware and dated parts for more up to date versions. It was cheaper to use the existing Injectors rather than commission new ones and the Refitted Injectors performed their jobs well. The frames, exterior armor, and even many of the joints were extremely durable, able to last thousands of years if left out in the elements.

5XZ pulled the control panel off of her Injector and disconnected the wires. She handed the panel to a Robonoid and sent it away before reconnected the wires to her left arm and pulled up a holoscreen. Standard procedure was to archive the data that the old Injectors still held and give them a system update to allow the newer pieces of tech to integrate better.

The data flashed across the screen, 70 Rubies were created from this machine; their cuts and model numbers all on display. When the download was complete, she wiped the computer and began to install the new software when she heard a voice call out to her.

“5XZ, you’ve got a visitor,” said one of the other Peridots.

“Busy,” 5XZ responded, not looking up. “I’m off shift in three hours. Tell ‘em to come back then.”

“Sure,” the Peridot said, leaving to go and relay that message.

5XZ finished her installation and hopped off the Injector, activating her helicopter attachment and hovering to the next one. No sooner had she touched down on the massive machine then she caught a blur of motion out of the corner of her eye and was grabbed from behind.

5XZ let out a shout as the figure… hugged her.

The Peridot heard a familiar laugh from behind.

“Stars, 8XA! What the heck?!” 5XZ snapped, causing the Amethyst to hug her even tighter.

“Aw c’mon Z, I missed you!” 8XA said. “Scouting duty finally ended! Longest 3 weeks of my fucking life.”

She let the Peridot down, only for 5XZ to turn and wrap her arms around the larger Gem and pull her in for a kiss.

“I missed you too,” 5XZ said after she broke off.

“How’s the injector thing going?” 

“Great! We’ve already finished half of them,” 5XZ said, gesturing out at the Injectors. “Three have already been taken to the Alpha Kindergarten.”

“A lotta new Gems will have you to thank for their creation,” 8XA said, smiling.

“It’s a team effort,” 5XZ said, blushing.

“Ahh, too modest,” 8XA said, running her hand through the Peridot’s hair. “So, three hours?”

“Afraid so,” 5XZ replied.

“Mind if I hang around?”

“Nah, do what you want.”

8XA hopped off the Injector and 5XZ went back to work. She pulled the circuit board out and hooked herself up to the machine while 8XA examined the holes that the Gems had emerged from.

“Freaky,” the Amethyst said, checking out a hole that belonged to a Jasper.

“Reminds you of your Kindergarten?” 5XZ asked.

“No,” 8XA said, bluntly. “Fuck that place. I hope it’s a ruin.”

5XZ didn’t respond. 8XA didn’t like to talk about her birth-planet. Earth was a mark of shame on the Empire, one of their few abandoned Colonies and one who’s war had cost the life of a Diamond. To this day people had trouble believing that a Diamond could die and Earth was a terrible reminder of their mortality.

“I found a cool place when I was on patrol,” 8XA said. “I’d love to take you out there.”

“Is it romantic?” 5XZ asked.

“Any place with me is romantic,” 8XA replied. “This Injector is now 10% more romantic just by me having been on it.”

5XZ laughed and disconnected herself. She was able to finish the downloads and updates of the remaining Injectors and spent the remaining hours disassembling and replacing the interiors. She and the other Peridots finished two of the Injectors and left the others for their next shift. 

8XA shapeshifted into a Ruby to fit herself into one of the Ruby holes and got herself stuck. 5XZ was laughing too hard to be able to help her out.

With the work completed, and 5XZ sworn into secrecy for the whole hole fiasco, 8XA took her to the landing pad. They checked out a Roaming Eye and took off to a location 8XA punched in on the map. 5XZ steered the ship and talked about her job.

“And then the Agate extended our quota again! Third frickin’ time! I swear, there’s got to be some kind of promotion in it for her.”

“Agates,” 8XA said, shaking her head. “All they do is throw their weight around and expect everyone else to do the heavy lifting. Stars I wish I was one.”

“You wouldn’t make a good Agate,” 5XZ said.

“Why not? I’m plenty terrifying!” 8XA replied, indignant. “I’d terrify all the slackers into submission.”

“You’re not scary.”

“Well, not to _you_ at least.”

The rocky ground from the Gem clearing effort gave way to a forest as they flew. 5XZ brought up images from the bottom cameras on screen, admiring the dense foliage. There were an assortment of shades that the trees took to signify the time of day. In the morning they were yellow, in the afternoon they were green, in the evening they turned blue, and at night they turned purple. It all had to do with the amount of light they received from the planet’s twin suns and right now the forest was a tranquil shade of blue.

5XZ angled the ship towards a field that the map directed them to. The underside cameras granted a view of thousands of flowers in the field.

“Set us down over there,” 8XA said, pointing towards a hill.

5XZ landed on the hill and the pair disembarked. The view was beautiful. 5XZ marveled at all of the flowers, their petals a rich shade of red that could only really be appreciated by light based species who could properly process a massive color spectrum. Their stems were thick, green, and tangled like vines.

“Wooooow!” 5XZ exclaimed, staring out at the field. “How’d you find this?”

8XA came up behind her and put an arm around her shoulder. “We were gridding the area and keeping tabs on the different species. According to the records, they’re called The Mallow.”

5XZ watched as the flowers folded their petals together and opened them to release clear orbs into the air. When the light hit those bubbles at just the right moment, they’d sparkle like crystals. It was a spectacular sight with the lights from the orbs dancing across the deep red petals.

“C’mon,” 8XA said, leading her down the hill. “The Mallow have a very low level of sentience. They don’t think but they experience feelings. These feelings are released in their bubbles and they communicate to each other with them. Granted, they don’t say anything but one Mallow releasing a bubble of contentment to another Mallow will in turn make that one produce bubbles and so on. Other times they just let their feelings float up into the atmosphere.”

They arrived at the edge of the field and 5XZ touched one of the bubbles. It popped and she felt a sensation of warmth flow through her body. She felt safe and happy; in that moment all of her obligations felt like they were miles away. The feeling lasted a few seconds and was gone, the Peridot’s senses sharpening again.

“Stars this is amazing!” 5XZ exclaimed. 

“I know, right?” 8XA said. “I could lose myself to these sensations just live out the rest of my days in a haze of positive feelings.”

“It’s so surprising how these organics can produce something that affects our minds to such a degree,” 5XZ said. “Especially without the need for us to alter our physical forms to experience the effects.” 

“It’s great,” 8XA said, touching the petals of one of them. “They also can feel our emotions when we come into contact with them.” 

The Mallow she had touched bunched its flowers and released a new bubble, 5XZ popped it and felt a familiar sensation. She flashed a knowing grin at the Amethyst.

“I think I know what you’re thinking,” 5XZ said.

“I hope so,” 8XA said, smirking in return. 

5XZ typed a command into her holoscreen, adjusting a setting on her limb enhancer. Doing so allowed her to pick up the bubbles without bursting them, the Gem tech calculating the force perfectly. She scanned the bubble, examining the feelings it carried. She then threw it in 8XA’s face.

8XA burst out into uncontrollable laughter and fell backwards. The fit passed in a few seconds but the scene caused 5XZ to start laughing.

“Funny,” 8XA grumbled, standing up.

“Don’t be like that, of course it was funny!” 5XZ replied, helping her to her feet.

“C’mon,” 8XA said, beckoning her. “here’s something else I wanted you to see.”

The Amethyst lead the Peridot up a path along the side of the hill. The hill got steeper and more sheer but the path was wide and there was no danger of falling.

“Ok, now close your eyes,” 8XA said.

“Are you going to throw me off the cliff?” 5XZ asked, coyly.

“Nah, but you could survive that right?” 8XA asked, making a mock grab at her.

“Hey, hey!” 5XZ said, giggling.

“It’s part of the surprise!”

“Ok, fine,” 5XZ said, shutting her eyes and putting her fingers over her visor. 

5XZ immediately stepped on a rock wrong and nearly fell over; 8XA catching her before she could hit the ground. The Amethyst gently took her by the arm and led her further up the path.

“Can I open my eyes now?”

“No, no, we’re almost there.”

“Aw, c’mon, I don’t want to trip again.”

“It’s ok, I’ll catch you, like I did last time.”

“That almost makes me want to trip on purpose~”

“Do that and going off the cliff really will be your surprise.”

5XZ was lead further along by the arm until she felt the Amethyst stop. 

“Alright, open your eyes,” 8XA said.

5XZ did so and saw she was facing a cave. The cave was shallow, only going back a few meters into the cliffside, but 8XA had decorated it. There was a bed against the back wall, from it there was an excellent view of the field and the setting sun. A mat lay at the entrance, 5XZ recognizing it as an Altean piece. Next to the mat was a stool with a bottle of Enjex and two elegant glasses on top. 

“Stars, 8XA,” 5XZ said, covering her mouth. “You made all this?”

“Yeah, rather I had the furnishings stored in my gem trying to find some place romantic,” 8XA replied. “Figured this little hole in the mountain was as good as anyth-”

She was cut off by the Peridot jumping up and pulling her into a deep kiss. She wrapped her arms around the taller Gem’s neck while 8XA placed her hands on the Peridot’s hips. She carried the Peridot to the bed and laid her down, 5XZ flashing her clothes away. They continued to make out, 8XA kissing her from her lips to her neck to her breasts to her navel and finally to her thigh. 5XZ’s gem let off a soft green glow as 8XA kissed it; the Peridot letting out a giggle.

They made love as the sun set and well into the night. Afterwards they sat at the cave’s entrance, naked except the blanket they’d wrapped around themselves, sipping the Engex. They watched the bubbles rise from the fields, sparkling in the starlight. 5XZ leaned against 8XA’s shoulder, resting her head against the Amethyst’s gem. 

“This was a great surprise,” 5XZ said, taking another sip.

She shivered as the liquid absorbed into her form, a sharp shot of energy flowing through her.

“I knew you’d like it,” 8XA responded. “I remember finding the Mallow and thinking ‘damn, I wish 5XZ was here - Hold on.”

She shifted her shoulder and the Peridot leaned back. 8XA withdrew a candle from her gem and placed it down on the stool.

“When I was at a market on Romulus, they were selling Gormagander fat and I figured I’d buy some,” 8XA said. “Crafted a candle from the stuff.”

The Gormagander was a large space whale. Though it was endangered, markets often found a way to sell their body parts.

“You’re getting better,” 5XZ said, taking the candle in her hand and looking it over. “May I?”

8XA nodded and 5XZ converted her hand into a blaster and fired a small shot through the wick to light it. She placed the candle back down on the stool and watched the flame cast shadows around the cave.

“Pretty,” 5XZ said.

“You’re pretty,” 8XA replied, putting an arm around her. 

They sat together watching the Mallow for a few hours more, finishing the bottle of Engex between them. Eventually 8XA flashed her clothes on and began packing everything into her gem while 5XZ took the bottle down into the field. She inputted the code into her limb enhancers to allow them to grab the bubbles again. She scanned the one’s she grabbed, gleaning their emotions. The ones she wanted she had her enhancers condense; converting the bubbles to a thin bit of liquid she placed into the empty bottle. 

Contentment, happiness, bliss, and the feelings of her afterglow that certain Mallow bubbled after touching her. She filled the bottle up a fifth of the way and carried it back to 8XA who’d finished packing.

8XA had taken her chiseling knife out and was chipping away at the wall. 5XB peeked over her shoulder at the carving

**5XB + 8XA  
Always**

8XA was finishing it up by carving a heart around it.

“Awwww,” 5XB said. 

“Let everyone know we were here,” 8XA said, returning her knife to her gem. “A little memorial. Maybe centuries from now some aliens will find it and think of us.”

“Souvenir,” 5XZ said, handing her the bottle. “Condensed from the Mallow.”

“Hm,” 8XA said, taking it. “Ooh, I think I could turn this into a perfume. Thanks, Z.”

“Little memory of our time here,” 5XZ said, opening up her holoscreen. “Let’s get a pic.”

8XA stored the bottle in her Gem and got in close to 5XZ smiling as the screen captured their image. Two Gems in love, smiling with a field of flowers and positive emotions behind them. Their names carved into the planet as a reminder of their existence.


	3. Flux

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A chance meeting between 5XB and 8XA.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter will be more explicit than the last two. Warnings for dubcon.

**Flux**

The green Crafter Class ship “Flux” was traveling through Gem controlled space. Crafter Class ships were huge geometrical monstrosities, exceeding both standard battleships and Hand Class ships in size. The ships were built in the shape of a pyramid; lines of energy coursed through their exterior. The original Crafter Class ship was created at Nemesis Outpost, a massive warship from an old empire that had been commandeered by the Gem high command. After that, the design was exported to the engineers on the planet Vort and reworked to be more efficient. Crafter Class ships, as per their namesake, were enormous factories. From within their horrible interiors, ships were crafted. 

The Crafter Class interior could be adjusted and customized, depending on the need. Most Crafters (Flux amongst them) built Drop Ships though others had been reworked to produce Hand-Class or standard battleships. The Crafters were put into production late in Era 1 and saw deployment during the war on Earth. Though large, they faired poorly during the war. Most of the interior was based around ship construction, thus munitions storage and defensive capabilities were minimum. The armor was inadequate and the ships’ mass made them easy targets; many Homeworld Gems joked that the room for the hangar meant that the ships were hollow. The Rebellion had managed to destroy three of them throughout the course of the war.

With their failure during the Earth Campaign and the more resource-conscious mindset of Era 2, the Crafter Class program was shutdown. The ships would, however, continue to see deployment in the Galra, Alternian, and Tarute campaigns. Crafter Ships were extremely costly to build and their lack of defenses meant that they needed an escort for when they were deployed into battle zones. The biggest hurdle was practicality. Simply put, the necessary ships could be constructed on a Colony or any private shipyard rather than within the Crafter Class. The Crafters were an unnecessary middleman to the whole affair and their biggest advantage, that they could deploy vessels quickly to warzones and could provide a close-by repair base for any damaged ship, meant little when the ships were just massive targets with terrible defense.

To Yellow Diamond, the Crafters were an ugly reminder of careless spending during the Era 1 days when resources were plentiful and now only a dozen were left in service. Their most common job was cleaning up old battlefields and recycling destroyed ships. Flux had been commissioned to create three dropships for one of Blue Diamond’s Colonies. The materials were loaded on and it took off from Homeworld, the Peridots and Robonoids quickly setting to work on creating the new vessels. Demantoid oversaw the project and Peridot 5XB had accepted a job calibrating the navigation computers.

The first ship had been completed already and the skeletons for the second and third were getting pretty meaty. Amethyst 2XO and 8XA were moving a large piece of armor plating to the ship 3’s construction site. 8XA, naturally, was complaining.

“Why can’t the Bismuths just forge the armor at the site,” she said.

She and Rocky were lifting a huge sheet of metal, 4 times their size, across a suspended walkway. The pair had received the metal plate from the forge located at the top of the pyramid craft and taken it down a service elevator. When they walked into the hanger Rocky couldn’t help but be amazed at its size. Even though she’d seen the interiors of Crafters before, it was such a surprise to see the corridors open up to such an immense hanger. It was so big that all three Diamonds could comfortably stand around in.

“Forges need lots of space and dedicated power,” Rocky responded. “Plus they’re working with hot ore. We don’t want it spilling into the main work area.”

“But why do _we_ have to do it?”

“Because we’re big and strong!” Rocky exclaimed.

“It’s because if we accidentally get smashed it’s not a loss to any division that matters,” 8XA grumbled.

“Oh c’mon, cheer up!” Rocky said. “We’re making the Empire a safer place in our own way. Little cogs in the grand machine that is the Gem war effort.”

“The propaganda sounds so much stupider when you say it,”

They hefted the metal plate across the walkway, the Peridots and Citrines steering clear. The Robonoids, however, had no such compunction and continued to skitter by underfoot. They were passing the completed ship at site 1 when 8XA stepped on a flask Robonoid. It shattered and she lost her balance.

“Damnit!” 8XA shouted, twisting her ankle and falling over.

Rocky struggled to correct the balance of the armor plate as it swayed dangerously close to the completed dropship. Right as it was about to strike it, a tractor beam fired from inside of it and caught the armor plate. It didn’t completely envelope it, but the beam managed to balance the shield piece long enough for 8XA to regain her balance.

“You ok?” came a voice from inside the ship.

5XB popped out of the ship, her limb enhancer projecting the beam.

“Stars, you saved our butts,” 8XA said, relieved.

“If that had struck the only finished ship, we’d be buried in trouble,” Rocky said. 

“Demantoid would probably yell uselessly and we’d have to replace the damaged parts,” 5XB said, with a shrug. “Time-consuming but ultimately not unforgivably detrimental to the mission.”

“Well, thank you anyway,” Rocky said. “We can take it from here.”

5XB nodded and released the tractor beam.

“What’s your designation?” 8XA asked.

“I’m Peridot 5XB,” she replied, her voice monotone and formal.

“Awesome, thanks 5XB,” 8XA said.

5XB returned to the ship, paying the interaction no mind, while the Quartzes continued to carry the armor.

“She’s cute,” 8XA said, after determining they’d gotten enough distance between them and the Peridot.

“Aw, another one?” Rocky asked. “Can’t you just keep your head on the job this time?”

“2XO, you just don’t have an appreciation for the finer things in life,” 8XA said. “There’s more to existence than an ever-expanding rock collection.”

“That’s a lie and you know it!” Rocky snapped back at her.

5XB was in the break room on the 2nd face of the Crafter ship. The rightmost wall was a slanted window allowing off duty Gems to view the stars; it was also a popular target for enemy vessels’ cannons. The Peridot was sitting on one of the many tables in the area working on a bonus project. Several Jaspers were scattered around killing time. She’d finished installing the navigation onto the first ship and had already crafted the navigation protocols for the second ship and installed them onto the ship’s computer. Said computer was resting on the hangar’s floor, waiting to be brought up and placed into the cockpit of ship 2 when it was completed. 

Since the completion of ship 1, the Black Box of the craft was found to have a few bugs in it and 5XB had taken it for troubleshooting. Should the ship be destroyed, the box would be recovered and the data/records of the ship could be accessed. Every ship had a Black Box, even the Flux. She had it placed on the table in front of herself and had attached some wires from her left arm into the device. She was running the codes through her visor, trying to isolate what was wrong.

5XB scrolled through it, cleaning up some messy bits here and there. The fingers on her right hand moved in a typing motion; jotting down numbers on an invisible keyboard while the digits and semicolons appeared on her screen. 

The Peridot typed away, paying her surroundings no mind. 8XA and Carnelian walked in, arguing about their superior.

“Day after day, in and out,” 8XA complained. “We’re the ones who have to knuckle down for these assignments and she just soaks up the credit.”

“Yeah,” Carnelian replied. “Thems the breaks.”

“Stars, I wish I was an Agate,” 8XA said. “Respect, power, being able to grind lesser Gems under my heel.”

“I like it when Holly grinds me under her heels,” Carnelian replied

8XA shot her a look to which Carnelian only shrugged.

“She’s hot, can you blame me?”

“Yes, yes I can blame you for that,” 8XA replied. “And, also, is there anything to actually do in the rec rooms?”

“We could try eating the tables?” Carnelian said.

“No.”

“Aw, c’mon, it’ll be just like the Zoomans!” Carnelian said, grabbing a table and examining it. “Just need to properly figure out that digestive system stuff.”

8XA rolled her eyes as the other Quartz tried to understand the best way to get her mouth around a circular table. She turned around to check the room out. There were no activities beyond stargazing and sitting. A handful of quartzes were staring out the window trying to make out constellations. A pair were sitting off in a corner playing a card game that they’d brought with them and-

“Oh hello,” 8XA thought.

It was the Peridot from earlier sitting by herself at a table working on something. 8XA left Carnelian to nibble on a table and walked over to the Peridot. 8XA approached from smaller Gem’s blind spot, not wanting to alert her or have her try and think up any excuses to leave. She circled around a few tables before finally getting to her, tapping her on the shoulder.

“Hey,” 8XA said.

5XB put the code on pause and looked up at her, “Oh hello.”

“Yeah, I wanted to thank you again for earlier,” 8XA said, smiling down at her. “Really saved us from… well whatever it is Demantoid does to people who screw up.”

“Demerits,” 5XB said with a shrug. “Black marks on your personal records. She’s not that creative with punishments.”

“Yeah, well,” 8XA pulled a chair up and sat down. “It’s good to be free of that anyway. What’re you working on?”

8XA leaned forward to get a better look at the Black Box, in doing so 5XB got a better look at her cleavage. The Peridot quickly looked away, not seeing the deliberate grin the Amethyst made.

“Black Box check,” 5XB said. “Every ship has one. When the ship goes down we look for them because they contain all the data from the vessel and allow us to figure out what happened.”

“Probably lot’s of screaming then,” 8XA joked.

“Occasionally,” 5XB replied.

8XA scooted closer, still facing the box but able to see the Peridot glance at her from the corner of her eye. 

“So this is your job?” 8XA asked. “Debugging?”

“It is one of several,” 5XB replied. “My primary directive is to program the navigation systems of the newly commissioned Dropships. I need to establish a link between the nav computers and the Homeworld database so the ships can keep up with our constantly updating star charts.”

“Don’t want to get lost,” 8XA replied, nodding. “Are they always connected? The onboard Navigation with the Homeworld’s charts, I mean.”

“Homeworld’s communication network blankets Gem controlled space,” 5XB said. “It’s stronger in certain places such as in Homeworld’s solar system or closer to developed Colonies. With a strong signal, the Navigation computer will connect and update itself.”

“And outside Homeworld’s space?” 8XA asked.

“Well, they won’t update, but the star charts will still be in the computer,” 5XB continued. “They should be accurate, and even if they weren’t, the maps for space outside of our territories aren’t changed nearly as much. Though the computers on the ship in question would automatically begin gathering location data. Storing it in-”

5XB tapped the cube on the table. “The Black Box. Bringing this whole thing full circle.”

“Fascinating,” 8XA lied.

“It is,” 5XB replied. “Oh, by the by, what was your designation? I’ve been expositing all this time and I’ve not even asked your name.”

“Oh, sorry about that, I never introduced myself,” 8XA replied. “Amethyst 8XA.”

“Well, 8XA,” The Peridot replied. “Thank you for listening to my lecture on the wonderful beauty of maps and navigation.”

“You talk good,” 8XA replied, giving her a wink and finger gun.

“That was terrible,” 5XB said, blushing slightly.

“My division’s not necessarily known for being witty,” 8XA said, with a shrug. “My companion’s over there trying to eat a table.”

8XA pointed back and 5XB looked to see a carnelian having shapeshifted her mouth to an enormous size and was attempting to fit a table into it. She’d gotten her lips around about half of it and seemed to be stuck.

“With her mouth stretched like that she will not be able to muster the jaw strength to bite through it,” 5XB observed.

Carnelian seemed to be trying to remove herself from the table but was encountering some difficulty.

“Aaaand she’s stuck,” 8XA said. “We’ll probably head back to the hanger after this. Be seein’ ya.”

She clapped the Peridot on the back and got up to help Carnelian free herself. 5XB watched the Amethyst grab hold of the smaller Gem and attempt to yank her off the table. The fifth tug got her free.

“Ah amoht di-ih iht!” Carnelian said, trying to return her stretched mouth to normal.

“Some dreams are unattainable,” 8XA said dryly.

She turned back to the Peridot, 5XB’s eyes being quick to jolt up and meet hers probably meant that she had been checking out the Amethyst’s butt. She winked at the Peridot and lead Carnelian out, the red quartz holding her stretched out lips and jaw in her hands.

5XB returned to her project, tidying up the code to make it more presentable and smooth. In the back of her mind she still saw the Amethyst; her lips, her smile, her eyes, her… other parts. 5XB smiled internally, they’d see each other again.

**Four Days Later**

“Ok, give me the next prism,” 5XB said.

They were on the completed Dropship 2. 5XB was putting together the second main computer. Should the bridge be destroyed, a secondary bridge was located in the engine room allowing any surviving officers to continue piloting the ship. The Peridot was placing in the information prisms, glowing polygons that contained the computer functions. The technology was light-based much like the Gems themselves.

8XA was standing outside of the computer, the screen and console had been removed and 5XB was standing within the interior. The Amethyst pulled a prism out of the iron box in front of her and handed it to 5XB.

“Thanks,” the Peridot replied.

She took the prism and inserted it into a diamond-shaped slot on the far end of the computer. The circuitry around it flared to life in a comforting yellow glow. 5XB pulled up her holoscreen and checked the connections. She typed a minor adjustment and nodded.

“Almost done,” she said.

“Looks good,” 8XA said.

“Do you even know what you’re looking at?” 5XB asked, quirking an eyebrow.

“No, but it looks organized and like it will work properly,” 8XA replied with a smile. “I can give you an honest opinion, not a professional one.”

“Fair,” 5XB said, detaching a circuit from the wall.

She ran a scan on it and, deeming it adequate, placed it back. Glowing lines appeared across the circuitry, the flow of data and power given form.

“You ever take those off?” 8XA asked, pointing at her limb enhancers.

“What? No!” 5XB replied, her voice a bit higher-pitched than she’d wanted. “I’d fail the height requirement and lose all my valuable functions.”

“Ok, ok,” 8XA replied holding her palms up. “They look good on you.”

“They’re not about looking good,” 5XB grumbled.

“Well, they do,” 8XA said, with a shrug. “Gives you a nice silhouette. Makes your legs look…”

5XB’s slightly flustered glare caused her to trail off. 

“What? I’m just being honest!” 8XA said. “I’m an honest Amethyst!”

“You’re a persistent Amethyst,” 5XB stated. “Hand me the last prism, we’re just about done.”

8XA removed the last prim and shut the box. 5XB climbed out from the inside of the computer, taking 8XA’s offered hand and stepping down. She grabbed the prism and placed it into the console; the diamond-shaped slot reacting in the same way. Satisfied that the circuits were connecting she took the control panel up from the ground and placed it over the console, sealing it up. 

“8XA?” she asked, gesturing at the computer screen lying against the wall.

The Amethyst picked the large glass panel up and lifted it into place. The face of the computer adhered to its monitor and the prisms blasted onto it, projecting all of the technical details of the device.

“We did it!” 8XA exclaimed, throwing an arm around the Peridot. “Or you did it and I watched. Whatever works.”

“It’s just a computer,” 5XB said, trying to get out of the Amethyst’s half-hug. “All I did was my job.”

“Yeah, that doesn’t mean I can’t congratulate you. You put this thing together and you’ll be the reason future pilots have navigation on these machines,” 8XA said, letting her go.

5XB, rubbed her cheek, “Ok, I guess so. Let me just run some tests.”

She activated the computer and had it run a start-up procedure. 

“Where do you normally work?” 8XA asked.

“I was created on Homeworld,” 5XB replied, placing her hands into the keyboard. “So I’m shifted around to different workstations.”

“You often work under Demantoid?”

“From time to time,” 5XB said, numbers flashing on her visor. “It’s good work.”

“Seems kind of dull,” 8XA said, leaning against the wall. “How’s the dating life?”

“Not enough off time for one,” 5XB replied, not looking up from the screen.

“So, everything’s got to be quick then?” 8XA asked. “I can work with that.”

“Yeah, I’m sure you can.”

“What about you then? Got your eyes on anybody, 5XB?”

“Yeah,” 5XB said, still watching the computer. “Your little friend who tried to eat that table.”

“Aw what?”

“Something erotic about throwing your whole self at any stupid idea that crops up in your mind.”

8XA shook her head and chuckled, “There’s no accounting for taste.”

She ran a few other basic programs and then shut the computer down.

“All done?” 8XA asked.

“Yep,” 5XB replied, removing her hands from the keyboard.

“Another job well done,” 8XA said. “You deserve a reward.”

“What kind of a reward?” 5XB asked, looking up at her with a deliberately bored expression.

8XA leaned down and planted a kiss on her cheek. “That kind.”

The pair exited from the engine room and headed to the main bridge. Two Amethysts and an Agate were finishing inspection.

“You guys done?” the Agate asked the duo.

“All set up!” 8XA exclaimed. “All thanks to the genius here.”

To emphasize that she slapped 5XB on the rear.

“8XA!” 5XB snapped, mortified.

“Hah, nice,” said one Amethyst, earning a glare from her superior.

“If you’ve got enough to fraternize then you’re clearly not keeping busy enough,” the Agate said to them. “See if ship 3 needs further help.”

“Yes my Agate,” 5XB said, saluting her and taking her leave.

Outside of the ship and earshot, 8XA quipped, “Man what a power-tripping ass.”

“What the _fuck_ was that?” 5XB snapped, rounding on her.

“Whoa, what?” 8XA asked holding up her hand's palm out, surprised at the Peridot’s anger.

“Why’d you have to do that?” 5XB continued. “In front of my superior?!”

“You’re overreacting, it was just a pat on the butt,” 8XA replied. “I mean, c’mon, you let me kiss you.”

“And you think that’s an invitation to grope me in front of my Agate?!” 

“Easy, easy. Calm down 5XB. I was just having a laugh.”

“This is _really_ not funny! People talk, and I’ve got a record to keep clean. And even then… jeez, boundaries, c’mon!”

8XA let out a sigh, this Peridot was being difficult. Still, no sense ruining a good thing.

“B-” 8XA started to say, glancing around.

“Is it all just a big joke to you?” 5XB continued.

“B-”

“Is it funny to humiliate me!”

“B, people are staring,” 8XA replied, lowering her voice.

5XB stopped her rant and glanced around. The nearby Amethysts and Rubies quickly turn back to their work, pretending to not have been listening. The Peridot’s face burned in embarrassment. She wanted to snap at them, ask if they found it as amusing as 8XA did. Doing so would undoubtedly make the situation worse and probably result in disciplinary action.

“Look, I’m sorry,” 8XA said. “I got carried away in the moment and I embarrassed you. I shouldn’t have acted inappropriately.”

“You damn well shouldn’t have,” 5XB through gritted teeth.

“I don’t want to make excuses,” 8XA said. “I acted like an idiot and a selfish bitch. I’ve been always been a fuck up like this and I was wrong to do that to you.”

5XB sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. 8XA noted that her hostility seemed to deflate with the sigh but the anger was still visible in the rigidity of her shoulders.

“Look,” 5XB said, “I don’t-”

She was interrupted by a beep and a flashing icon on her visor. It was a message from Demantoid.

“Hold on, I need to take this,” 5XB said to the Amethyst.

She selected the icon and pulled up Demantoid’s image on her holoscreen. The small Garnet was typing away at her console, not bothering to look up at the Peridot.

“Change in plans,” Demantoid said, cutting to the point. “I will be coding the computers for the final dropship. Send me your navigation programs.”

“Understood,” 5XB said, transmitting the info.

“I’ll call you if I can find a new assignment. But for now, you’re dismissed,” Demantoid said.

“Yes, My Demantoid,” 5XB replied, as the Garnet closed the call.

“C’mon,” 8XA said. “Let’s head out, let the future gossips go hungry.”

The Amethyst jerked her head at the Gems who once again went back to pretending to work.

“Fine, fine,” 5XB grumbled.

The pair took the walkway to the exit. 8XA mulled over what she would say and beyond that how to push the Peridot in a favorable direction. Once they’d gotten into the hallway and out of earshot, 8XA went to speak but was cut off by 5XB.

“Ok,” the Peridot said, voice returning to her characteristic monotone. “Maybe I overreacted, but this doesn’t happen again, got it?”

The words were less of a question and more of a command. However, there wasn’t the same cutting anger behind them that 5XB had previously exhibited before. 8XA wondered if the over apology worked or if it was the Peridot’s humiliation over her outburst eclipsing the one over her being groped. Either way, she was in the clear.

8XA smiled pleasant on the outside but devious on the inside.

“I got it.”

**Three Days Later**

The Dropships had been completed and Flux was only a day away from its destination. Demantoid was running hypothetical scenarios on the computers while most of the other workers were just laying around the ship. In the southernmost break room, the Amethysts had organized an arm-wrestling competition and much of the crew gathered down there to watch.

5XB and 8XA opted not to go and instead lounged around in the northernmost break room, watching the stars. 5XB was sitting in the Amethyst’s lap, the larger Gem’s arms wrapped around her. She leaned back into 8XA’s chest, 8XA resting her chin on the Peridot’s spiked hair. 8XA let out a hum as she stared out the window, idly rubbing the gem on 5XB’s midsection. 

“That one’s the Creation Matrix,” 5XB said, a floating finger pointing at a cluster of stars out the window. “Ancient Camien explorers named it because it reminded them of a holy artifact.”

“Mm,” 8XA replied, nuzzling the back of 5XB’s head.

“When seen from the Planet Vort,” 5XB continued. “Several of those stars are used in their constellation of Larb the Conqueror.”

8XA kissed the back of her head and gave a similar “MM” as a response.

“Organics have such a strange rituals,” 5XB said. “So much symbolism added to an abstract cluster of Stars. What’s the point of it all?”

“Something pretty to look at,” 5XB said, tracing the edge of 5XB’s gem with her finger.

“It’s such a waste of time,” 5XB grumbled.

8XA simply kissed the back of her neck in response.

“There,” 5XB said, her finger pointing at a different star cluster. “Is where the Alternian Homeworld is. Wretched place.”

8XA moved her hands from 5XB’s gem and splayed her fingers across the Peridot’s stomach. Feeling her smooth green skin, the Amethyst’s fingers brushing against the top of her shorts.

“Stars are important to navigation,” 5XB continued. “But to give them such useless rituals and meanings is so trite.”

8XA’s hands grew bolder. She rubbed circles on 5XB’s gem with her left thumb as her pinkie slipped below her waistline. Her right hand moved up, the fingers brushing against the Peridot’s light-based crop top.

“Why do they try and ascribe meanings to them beyond their purpose?” 5XB asked.

8XA slipped another finger under 5XB’s waistband.

“Why do they craft whole belief systems around these gaseous masses?”

8XA cupped her breast with the other hand. It fit snuggly into the palm of her hand, modest but perky.

“Why look at the stars and – and see sentiment?”

8XA slipped her left hand further south as she began to massage 5XB’s breast.

“Why – why-”

She cut herself off with a short intake of breath as 8XA slipped a finger inside of her. Her breathing grew heavy as 8XA began stroking, long slow movements with her middle finger. Her other hand grew bolder as well, fondling the Peridot’s breast, sliding her thumb over the nipple. 5XB could feel the pressure from 8XA’s lap, proof of the Amethyst’s own arousal.

“Ge-getting handsy are we?” 5XB asked, her voice heavy.

“I haven’t heard a no,” 8XA responded, coyly.

“We’re -hhh- in public.”

“Nobody’s here.”

“We’ll be -be planet side -uhh- in a day.”

“Oh, I can’t wait that long,” 8XA said, nibbling on 5XB’s neck.

5XB let out a sharp noise, akin to a squeal, when 8XA pressed her thumb to her clit.

“N-no. No 8XA!” 5XB snapped, sitting forward.

“Ok, ok,” 8XA said, taking her hands out of 5XB’s pants.

5XB got to her feet, flustered but angry.

“C’mon,” 8XA said. “It’s just us here!”

“For now, yes,” 5XB replied, turning to her. “But anyone can come in!”

“So what? We can give them a little show.”

5XB glared at her. 8XA opted to hide her frustration behind a bored look. She was really getting into it but 5XB just had to go and spoil the fun.

“Oh don’t give me that,” 8XA said, getting off the chair. “Live a little! Stars you’re so uptight all the time.”

“I don’t want to have sex in a public place,” 5XB retorted. “Can you not get that through your gem?”

“I mean this,” 8XA said, holding up her left hand, the fluid on her middle finger catching the light, “Tells me otherwise.”

5XB grit her teeth and looked away.

“Aw, c’mon B,” 8XA said, her tone mischievous. “It’ll be exciting. I _know_ you were into it.”

She touched the Peridot’s chin and angled her face up so they could see eye to eye. 8XA then gingerly brought up her other hand and licked the slick finger clean. The Amethyst leaned forward and kissed her, pressing her tongue inside of 5XB’s mouth. 5XB could taste herself on 8XA, she felt the bulge in the Amethyst’s pants press against her as 8XA gently pushed her down onto the table.

8XA kept herself on top, hungrily kissing the Peridot from her mouth to her cheek, to her neck. 5XB found herself caught up in the moment and kissed back. B felt her pants being taken off; the cool air against her crotch. 8XA pushed her top up past her breasts and lowered her head to them. 5XB glanced fearfully at the door; it remained open, a means for anyone to walk in on them at any time. She could feel the edge of the table digging into the back of her thighs; the Amethyst’s weight pushing her onto the hard unforgiving metal.

She had to stop. The Peridot opened her mouth to object but all that came out was a moan as 8XA entered her. The moan was smothered by the larger Gem as she captured her mouth in an open kiss. 8XA dragged her length out slowly before thrusting in again. 5XB began to make little noises in spite of herself, her squeaks turned gasps which turned to moans. The thrusting became faster, 5XB clamping her hands over her mouth to prevent any more noise. 

“Someone will see,” she thought. “Oh Stars they’ll see!”

Eventually, 8XA finished. She stood up and straightened her uniform, wiped the sweat from her brow and checked her reflection in the window. 5XB lay on her back a moment longer; nobody had walked in, nobody had seen them. She got to her feet, pulled her shorts up, and adjusted her top. She rubbed at the back of her thighs, sore from the table digging into them. Her reflection stared back at her; disheveled and miserable.

“So, when we get planetside,” 8XA said, turning to her. “We should get a room together.”

8XA smiled at her. It was a happy expression with a little mischief mixed in. There was no regard for 5XB’s discomfort, there likely never was to begin with. 5XB stared back at the Amethyst; humiliation, anger, and disgust fought themselves but her face only displayed a flat reaction.

“Well, some other time then,” 8XA said, shrugging.

“You really are a piece of work,” 5XB said.

“I’ll take that as a maybe,” 8XA replied, winking at her. “Hey, if we’re ever in the same system I’ll drop you a line.”

“No,” 5XB said, glaring at her. “No, we’re done. Don’t you ever fucking call me.”

“Alright, alright, jeez,” 8XA said holding up her hands in a mock defensive gesture. “I mean hey, you didn’t say no.”

5XB snarled and stormed out. 8XA debated going after her but figured it was best to let that bridge burn out. She straightened the chairs and waited a bit before leaving. It had been a fun little affair. 

“Shame nobody walked in, the look on B’s face would have been priceless,” she thought to herself, smirking.

It was good to get out of the Zoo and onto other Gem projects; there were never any Peridots around at that accursed memorial. Still, there was some time between them landing planetside and her team having to return to the Zoo. Maybe she could find another cute little green Gem to have fun with, preferably one without an attitude problem.

Peridot 5XB continued down the hallway, her teeth grinding and her hands clenched. 

“Never again,” she muttered under her breath. “Stars, what was I thinking?!”

She arrived at the elevator and pressed the button. She tried relaxing her face as it opened to a pair of Peridots and she had to get in.

“Something up?” one asked her.

5XB smoothed out her uniform and wiped off more of the sweat on her face. 

“Problem with my Leg Enhancer,” she lied. “Some Amethyst wanted to give me a hand and that made it worse.”

“You don’t use a course tool for a fine job,” the other Peridot said. “You should have known better.”

The words cut at a deeper level than intended but 5XB didn’t show it. She simply shrugged and rode the Elevator to the bottom in silence.

At the destined planet, Flux remained in orbit while the Dropships descended to the ground with the worker’s aboard. Upon boarding the ship, 5XB saw 8XA one last time. Across the hangar, she glimpsed the Amethyst joking to a group of other quartzes. She said something that made the group erupt into a round of laughter.

8XA caught her eye and blew a kiss at her. A few of the other Amethysts noticed and turned to excitedly ask 8XA something. 5XB figured from their expressions that they were talking about her. She kept her head down and boarded the Dropship, avoiding their gazes. 

8XA watched her go. She wouldn’t forget their little “moment” and she doubted 5XB would either. The work had been tedious and boring but it was worth it in the end to see her like that. The Peridot’s humiliation was burned into her memory igniting feelings in the Amethyst that she wouldn’t bother to examine until much later. Maybe she’d see 5XB again, maybe not; it was a big empire.


End file.
